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WOMAN TO WOMAN
A Publication of Family Nurse Midwife Associates
520 Jefferson Avenue, Suite 520
Jeannette, Pennsylvania 15644
724-527-9159
www.JDMH-midwives.com
June 2002 Edition
INFANT MASSAGE
CLASS
Our office will be hosting its next Infant Massage Class on Friday,
July 12th from 9:30-11:30 AM. This class is taught by certified
Infant Massage Instructor, Connie Capar. This is a great way
to bond better with your baby, help relieve collic and learn
some great massage strokes. Class includes two hours of instruction,
written handouts and oils. Pre-registration is required no later
than July 10th For more information or to register, either call
Sue at 724-527-9159 or Connie at 724-838-8111. Moms Network The
Moms Network conducts meetings for women who own a home based
business. They are a non-profit group who meet to discuss marketing
ideas, managing kids and business, and casual networking. Meetings
are normally Thursday afternoons or evenings. They are very informal
but informative. Bring your business cards. The July meeting
is on July 18th at 7PM and will be held at the New Alexandria
Library. The August meeting will be on August 22nd at 7PM and
weather permitting will meet at the New Alexandria Playground,
so bring the kids. Directions on their web site. For more details
call 724-668-8800 or visit 222.newalexnadriapa.com/mnewpa/
The Birth of
Amber Marie
When we found out we were pregnant with our second child,there
was no question that the midwives would follow the pregnancy
since we had such a wonderful experience with the first pregnancy
and delivery. My pregnancy was very uneventful (except for the
4 months of constant nausea). We could not wait for every checkup,
it was so neat hearing the heartbeat and finding out that everything
was growing as it should be. Our 2 year old daughter also enjoyed
the visits, she loved measuring my belly and trying to find the
heartbeat. I must say our visits were definitely a family affair
with both Grandma's and a few Aunt's taking turns joining us
throughout the months.
Our due date, Saturday,
May 4, finally arrived and that evening I began having contractions.
When they were 4-5 minutes apart, I paged Gretchen and she said
she would meet us at the hospital. We were admitted and the contractions
soon got to be 2-3 minutes apart. This lasted off and on for
about 2 hours and then they just stopped. How disappointing to
be leaving he hospital Sunday morning with no baby!!
That day I felt
fine, no contractions, aches, or pains all day until 11:00 pm-
then WOW, I woke up with a hum dinger of a contraction. I began
timing them when I realized they were less than a minute apart.
Adam paged Gretchen (who was already on her way to the hospital
for another birth) and called his Mom to come stay with our daughter.
We arrived at the hospital around 12:00 AM. When we walked through
the Birth Place doors I saw the most reassuring thing in the
world- Gretchen! I was right in the middle of a contraction and
felt as though I could push. The nurses and Gretchen helped me
to the room. Gretchen checked me and I was 8 cm. With the next
contraction, I really needed to push, she checked me again and
I was ready. A few pushes later, at 12:13 AM, Amber Marie was
born. I cannot explain how wonderful my pregnancy and birth experience
was thanks to Gretchen, Sandy, Sue, and all the nurses at the
Family Birth Place.
Wendy and Adam
Duke, Greensburg
The Birth of
Kathryn Anna
Kate was born on November 03, 2002, but the story of her birth
began months earlier. I had no dangerous complications with the
pregnancy, thankfully. I seemed to experience, however, almost
every uncomfortable symptom in the book, and those lasted through
all four long months of summer. By early August, I was having
many mild Braxton-Hicks contractions each day. On one hot Friday,
I clocked over 25 moderate contractions in one single hour, so
I paid an emergency visit to Sandy. No dilation or other signs
of pre-term labor at that point, extra rest and more water helped
calm things down a little. But any exertion in the heat and humidity
during the remaining summer weather would send them into overdrive
again. Kate's due date was in the last week of October, and since
labor with my first baby started 15 days early, I foolishly hoped
for a break this time too. By mid-October the belt felt lower
and I had a lot more difficulty in getting around. Each day the
Braxton-Hicks contractions grew progressively stronger and longer.
In retrospect, I feel that labor began in August and lasted for
three months!!! Each day as October 25th came and went I thought,
ìSurely Soon?î Several internal exams and non-stress
tests showed mom and baby as healthy as should be expected, and
the midwives kept reassuring me that birth would be any old time.
I passed a mucous plug (twice) and reached several centimeters
dilation-still nothing. Eventually we set a date for induction.
I dreaded the thought of a dose of pitocin to ìget things
goingî. With my last delivery this led to a series of interventions
and a lot of disappointment for me. Nancy suggested for the second
time that I take a dose of castor oil to prompt the onset of
labor (at my disgust she reminded me ìWhich would be worse-the
castor oil or pitocin?î) The next afternoon I took the
nasty stuff. Once it worked its magic with my digestive system,
I actually felt better than I had in months. Too good, in fact,
I ate a huge supper, which I had the pleasure of seeing again
later at the hospital.
Thank goodness
I went to bed early that night, because at midnight I woke up
seconds before my water broke. My husband, John, and three year
old son-Kristopher, had only an hour of sleep. At first, my contractions
were not much harder than the Braxton-Hicks the day before. I
told my husband, son and sister (who was my official labor partner-John
was Kristopher's partner that night) not to worry and rush, it
was going to be a while. We reached the hospital at about 2 AM
and by that time contractions were
significantly harder and nauseating, but I could breath through
them well enough. Hospital procedure, hospital gown, blah blah
blah, I was deep enough in labor that everything except the contractions
seem to me to be happening in a fog. Most of my hospital laboring
took place in the rocking chair with my eyes closed. At about
3 AM, several things happened. I had one very long contraction
that I could not manage using just breathing techniques. I think
the fear and pain in my voice at that moment, plus sleep deprivation
and boredom were finally too much for my three year old son,
and I gave my husband permission to take him on a walk (ìGo
ahead, it is still going to be a whileî) The nurses moved
me to the bed, then began to get the tub ready, while Gretchen
checked me to see where things stood. Lo and behold, no time
for the tub!!.
I was almost ready to push!!. For two hours, I had been breathing
through hard contractions and telling myself to hang in there,
it would get a lot worse soon enough-and the whole time I was
working through second stage. Hallelujah!!! I found out later
about how the staff started searching the hospital for John and
Kristopher to make sure they did not miss the birth. I pushed
for only one half of an hour, most of which was easier than I
had prepared myself for. Only one more intensely painful moment-delivering
the baby's shoulders- I know now why it is sometimes referred
to as the ìring of fireî. When Kate was born, Gretchen
placed her on my chest right away, and what a huge sense of pleasure
I felt. Great, great relief that the pregnancy was over and great,
great joy at having my little girl in my arms. What helped turn
a yucky pregnancy into a beautiful, empowering birth experience?
1. Getting with the midwives and with JDMH. It you have been
anywhere else, you know what I mean. If you have not, lucky you.
The midwives, Sue, their library, the Catholic hospital, the
sweet nursing staff-it is all good. 2. Private childbirth classes
with Jan Mallak. She especially helped me to learn to listen
to my body for cues on how to handle contractions 3. Having an
experienced, loving hand to hold (my sister's) during the process
4. My three year old son Kristopher was my pregnancy/labor, birth
buddy-what a privilege to share that work and joy with him.
Written by Jennifer Kell, Apollo, Penna.
Childbirth Crash
Course
Family Nurse Midwife Associates will be hosting its next Childbirth
Crash Course on Wednesday, September 4th and Wednesday, September
11th. This two part class combines several childbirth philosophies
with the emphasis being on creating one's own birth vision. Class
is taught by Childbirth Educator and Birth Doula, Jan Mallak,
of Hearts and Hands Doula Service. Photos of previous classes
are now available on our web site at www.JDMH-midwives.com. To
register or for more information, call Sue at 724-527-9159 or
Jan at 724-327-6063
How Have They
Grown???
Zander Nathaniel David Shawley......
Zander has grown from 8 lbs 2 oz. to 14 lb. 15 oz. in a mere
9 1/2 months. He is now a little over two feet tall. Zander is
trying to crawl, roll over, and is standing with help. We had
some problems with formula. He had to be on Nutrammagen because
of colic due to a protein defiency. Now he is the happy baby
he is supposed to be, all the time. He has been sleeping through
the night for the past 2 months. Lately, he is trying to talk.
It sounds like he says Momma and Dadda. Zander plays peak-a boo.
He will yank the blanket up in front of him, then tosses it down
quickly, repeatedly. He laughs about it alot. Zander can sit
up for a while by himself, but a minute later, he starts to lean
over. He then needs supported. I am looking forward to his first
birthday. He will probably be covered in cake as all babies are.
Will update you as time goes by.
Love and Prayers,
Melissa Shawley, Latrobe, Penna.
AGOG News Release - Dated February 2002
Taking 100 mg of soy isoflavone daily may be a safe and effective
alternative to relieve menopausal symptoms and may also offer
heart protection by lowering cholesterol levels, according to
a study in the March issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Researchers
in Brazil found that menopausal women who took 100 mg of soy
isoflavine a day for four months reported a significant decrease
in hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms compared to women
taking a placebo. These women also showed significant decreases
in both total cholesterol levels and low-density lipoproteins
or so called bad cholesterol levels. The researchers found that
unlike conventional estrogen replacement therapy which prolongs
exposure to unopposed estrogens which stimulates growth in the
endometrium, therefore increasing the risk of endometrial cancer,daily
soy isoflavones did not significantly increase endometrial thickness.
Information Written by Dr. Edmund Baracat
Annual Pap Tests
Your Insurance Against Cervical Cancer
The good news about cervical cancer is that is it almost 100
percent curable when it is diagnosed early and treated promptly.
The pap test is the single most effective method for identifying
irregularities in cervical cells that could develop into cancer.
Pap smears are painless. During a pap smear a speculum is inserted
into the vagina so that the cervix can be seen and cells are
taken from both the inside and outside of the cervix and are
sent to the lab to be tested. Since the pap test was introduced
in the 1940's, the death rate for cervical cancer in the US has
decreased by almost 70 percent. However, the fight is not over,
more than 15,000 cases of invasive cases of cervical cancer are
diagnosed and nearly 15,000 women die of the disease each year.
These deaths could have been prevented with regular screenings
and treatment.
It is recommended
that you obtain your first pap test at the age of 18 unless you
become sexually active prior to that time. It is advised that
pap tests are then done on a yearly basis after that, unless
additional testing is indicated. What do you do however, when
your screening tests indicates a positive result? If the results
of your screening pap test come back abnormal, do not panic.
Only a small number of these women have results that actually
indicate invasive cancer. Abnormal pap tests can be reported
as ASCUS or dysplasia. These terms refer to non-invasive conditions
when normal cells of the cervix are replaced with a layer of
abnormal cells. Dysplasia is often ranked from mild to severe.
The next grade following dysplasia is carcinoma in situ or CIS.
This is not invasive but it is definitely precancer that needs
to be treated.
When your doctor
or midwife obtains an abnormal finding, further screenings or
testing may be ordered. For example, the pap can simply be repeated
in six months. This interval gives the body a chance to repair.
It is recommended that a women increases her intake of folic
acid and quits smoking if need be. In other cases, a colposcopy
may be recommended. These is where the cervix is examined by
a special magnifying telescope. A cervical biopsy may also be
indicated. This is where a small amount of
cervical tissue is removed for a pathological study.
Treatment can range
from treatment of minor inflammation to various surgical techniques
that remove abnormal cells. Even if invasive cancer is discovered,
the good news is that the survival rate is quite high at about
80-90 percent for early stage cancer.
In conclusion,
the simple yearly pap smear can be your best method to avoid
your chances of developing cervical cancer.Take the time today
to schedule an appointment with your midwife or physician to
schedule this life saving procedure.
The Pap Police
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